PS35£7 
W6 



REFORM 



Reform — reform the cry, 

For reform we should ever try — 

Try to be good — yes, to be good 

To others and ourselves, as we should; 

To be good to the world, build up the race 

Towards the higher goal, keep up a good pace; 

Elevate man, leave the mediaeval goal behind — 

A goal that towards humanity was never kind, 

A goal where the prize shall be 

The elevation of man through liberty. 

Not the low liberty of the base, 

But a liberty worthy of our race. 

In church and State — liberty fair, 

A liberty that shall fill the air 

"With its higher code — 

A code that shall ever govern the action of the road. 

"Keep to the right," give others a chance, 

Not let our horses in the middle of the road prance. 

Preventing others, denying them a right of way, 

Take such room as we need every day. 

But don't so govern the road 

As to interfere with the higher code; 

As our conduct on the road. 

So may be our spirit of the world's code. 

In religion free, what we ask of others, 

That towards them be, as brothers. 

What we freely give, or render on our part. 

That we demand from the same true spirit of the heart 

Of the other man; give and take, 

Take and give, for the sake 

Of mutual good; no spirit of subterfuge of mere words — 

"Words that deceive as men deceive the herds; 

But a lofty spirit that shall ever keep in mind 

The sentiment of the old Hebrew prophets, so grand and kind. 

Yet all this men will preach, 

That too with apparent sincerity teach, 

"While in their acts there is often another power, 

A mere worldly power that with them is active every hour. 

By some subterfuge to gain. 

Some advantage whereby to reign. 

And the part of the Tyrant play — so sad — 

As though that would to their happiness add. 

Happiness does not lie in such lines. 

But in being true to all that with humanity chimes; 



For the higher instinct to do — ^ C^ 3 -o (y^ 

Ever towards humanity to be true. ^ • V^ 

In State and eA^en in church we find f\ A j 

The low spirit that would the fellowman bind — X-^ ^ \ ^ ^ 

Ever bind to the low conditions of mediaeval days, 
When nine-tenths of the human race were kept in low ways. 
But with America came the open door — 
The open door whereby man can freely adore 
The Creator — not as in the past, by base living, 
But by the higher life and the grand giving 
Of assistance to his fellowman, 
And helping the weak all he can. 
After many years we formed a code, 
Whereby humanity was put on a higher road. 
While this is just and grand 
It is difficult for some to understand; 

Low men so like to rule that they will not heed the grand and just way, 
They are ever ready to grasp the prey. 
As the hunter, by fair means or foul, 
Takes advantage of duck or owl. 

The free and low tariff trader for argument use high sounding words; 
With these they expect to catch the ear of the herds — 
The herds of men who respond to their cries of "Robbery and Im- 
morality," 
As though they were the salt of the earth and in reality 
The only men of moral worth in the land. 
But such flimsy arguments with the world do not stand. 
Then they propose to appeal to the taxpayer, 
As though he would be the mighty slayer; 
That shall for their cause work, good and well. 
But the taxpayer is no fool, and not under their spell. 
The direct tax; the oriental plan 
Would perhaps better suit their clan. 
Eloquent in words these men may be, 
But the eloquence of facts is better to see. 
Will what they offer sustain more and better homes, 
Will it secure a better living, or give mere bones? 
Will it give a higher culture and more grace. 
Or will it lead to the old ways and displace 
The good that we have established here. 
That has made America so dear 
To humanity the world over, the hope of all — 
The hope that shall heed no Napoleon call — 
A call that was false to the oppressed, 
That at first promised much good, but ended with duress. 
Men prate about reform, 
When it is not reform for which they are so warm; 



But simply for some reforming of the lines 
Whereby they can play the Tyrant of the times. 
These men do not offer anything better— their words to bind- 
Indeed, they offer nothing of value to advance mankind; 
Their great stock in trade is representations that are vicious— 
Eepresentations that attract the weak and are sedicious, 
Implications that besmirch our fair name 
And send it aboard with shame. 
Slurs that cut like the two edged sword 
Of the magic Lord; 
Cuts humanity the world o'er ■ „ 
And injures us from shore to shpre. 
Our system that has given us good homes, 
Good schools, churches, lodges, to read grand tones. 
Should be the system to endorse. 
The laws to govern it we should enforce; 
Not heed the vain cries of the knaves and fools 
Who seek rule through vile agents and contemptible tools- 
Tools who shall their wares cry, 
And let our wares pass by. 

Yet to accomplish this, to favor the trusts of the old world, 
These fools, led by knaves, have at us hurled — 
Hurled their darts at us the while, • 
But most zealous have they been with their pent up bile. 
When a political campaign is nigh; 
Then they votes try to gain by their action sly. 
The word Reform in their mind, is most false and low, 
Reform should be an element better seeds to sow; 
Not an element that lacks in good work. 
Not an element that would responsibility shirk. 
Give something better, gentlemen, if you can; 
But we know that such ia not within the power of man. 
Man must be fed, all his honest wants supplied, 
The system that accomplishes this is allied 
To the Higher Kingdom and Higher Law — 
The law that ever goes before; 
The way that leads up to the high plateau, 
The plateau that has by these powers a better show, 
A plateau that has expanded and grown, 
Developed man and to him shown 
The higher way — a way that is not known 
By those who are content, like the dog, with a mere bone. 
So use the word Reform in its true sense and reality, 
Not cry Reform when you really mean rascality! 

«o ^^"^C p ISAAC P. NOYES. 

Washincjton, D. C, ^Oij ' ^'JQvr 

August 20-21, 1906. ^^^f^^ ^~^H ,3. ^^5, 



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